Gaming devices such as slot machines have entertained the public for over a century. While the fundamental concept behind slot games has remained relatively intact, the manners of computing, displaying, and participating in modern day slot games have changed dramatically. One force driving these changes is technological advancement, such as the advent of computers and video capabilities. Another driving force is human nature, as the participants of such gaming devices demand continual excitement and stimulation. It is therefore important in the gaming industry that gaming innovations continue to be rolled out to the participating public.
Many gaming methods and apparatuses require that combinations of marked elements be displayed in order for a payout to be triggered. For example, three adjacent elements marked with cherry symbols my trigger a payout in traditional slot games. Some games include the use of “wild” element markings which can allow the element to correspond to any other element for the purpose of forming combinations of marked elements that trigger payouts. Therefore, players like to see the generation of “wild” markings, as well as other markings associated with bonuses and high payouts. Players may feel luckier, and more inclined to continue playing, when playing on a machine that generates many bonus and high payout element markings. Players may favor playing at machines that generate lots of bonus and high payout element markings because they feel that such a machine provides the best chance to win.
Elements associated with bonuses and high payouts are typically not generated in each round of typical game play, a consequence of randomly selecting the markings for gaming elements. A lack of randomly generated bonus and high-payout elements can sap the excitement and moral of players, making them more likely to lose interest in the game and stop playing.